wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “private diary”
wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →
For “private diary”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 2 of the top 16. 1 plugin is pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.
wp.org search ranks on
Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.
We add
A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Modern Hotel Booking — Direct Booking Engine, Availability Calendar & Vacation Rental PMS shows at wp.org #7 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
MeetingHub – Appointment Booking & Meeting Scheduling for Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Jitsi 400+ · 4.8★ (13) heavy footprint thin reviews
wp.org #5 4 too low 2 
DineKit – Restaurant Menu, Online Ordering, Table Reservations & POS 70+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #2 3 
DiaryPress 90+ · 2.0★ (5) thin reviewslow rating, top placementstale but ranked
wp.org #1 2 too high 4 
PB Gig Diary — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #3 1 too high 5 
Takumi Private Gate — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #4 1 too high 6 
MML Booking Calendar 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #6 ↓1 7 
Doctor Appointment Booking & Clinic Management – Alnora — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓2 1 too low 8 
DadsFam SMTP 20+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓2 1 too low 9 
DadsFam Login Security 20+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↓2 1 too low 10 
Lovely Notes — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓2 1 too low 11 
subba – AI Receptionist, Chatbot & Online Booking — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓2 1 too low 12 
ClearComet Cloak for MCP — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #13 1 too low 13 Modern Hotel Booking — Direct Booking Engine, Availability Calendar & Vacation Rental PMS 10+ · 4.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #7 6 too high 14 N Notebook Widget 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓3 1 too low 15 D Daileez Widget — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓3 1 too low 16 
Encrypted Post Type — · 1.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓3 2 too high Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.